Sometimes
by Queen Mist
Summary: RyoSaku. Epilogue. Years later, the best of friends might just be partners for life. Complete.
1. Chapter 1

**SUMMARY: Ryoma and Sakuno are the best of friends. But why is that such a bad thing?**

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. (sighs)

----

_**Chapter 1: Deeply, Madly, Completely**_

"Please, Sakuno! Just hand it to him or something!"

Sakuno looked up from reading her notes, momentarily relieved she was distracted from English. That is, until she saw three looming faces looking eagerly at her. Oh. She gave them a small smile. "Yuki-san, Kuma-san, Keichi-san... what is it?"

Three letters were promptly shoved to her face.

Three pink letters.

Three pink _LOVE_ letters.

She almost sighed. Lovely. Ryoma-kun will be so pissed. He never did like receiving letters. She smiled again, taking the three letters. "Don't worry minna-san. I'll give these to Ryoma-kun," she replied, the words tasting used in her lips.

A lot of hugs, kisses, and an hour later, Sakuno found herself trudging up the stairs leading to the rooftop, her bag spilling with love letters. As usual, she found the tennis captain sprawled on the ground, his ever-present cap covering his face from the sunlight. She sighed again. How she hated waking Ryoma-kun when he was on his well-deserved sleep.

She was saved the horror, however, when the tennis prince awoke, his cap falling to the ground as he sat up, a hand reaching up to rub his sleepy eyes. She almost laughed at how adorable he looked. "Hello, Ryoma-kun."

A ghost of a smile graced his features, his eyes blinking slowly at her. "Un... Ryuzaki."

"Did you eat already?"

He shook his head. "Never thought to before." A thought struck him quickly. "Didn't you cook for me?"

She grinned at his phrasing. "Saa, Ryoma-kun, I'm not your wife." At the almost sheepish look on his face, she showed him the bento carefully hidden behind her back. "But... haven't I always?"

He nodded thoughtfully. "You've been doing this for- how many years? Three?"

She raised an eyebrow at his teasing note. "Actually, I wouldn't be doing this right now if you haven't practically BEGGED me to during second year."

Ryoma looked a little miffed. "I didn't BEG you."

She smiled. "Of course you didn't, Ryoma-kun," she said indulgently, sitting down beside him and preparing his bento.

"Che. You don't have to do that."

"Well, it gives me time to think."

He blinked. "For what?"

"I'm not telling you yet. Why don't you eat first?" she offered, knowing reading love letters always made him lose a part of his appetite.

He shrugged and began to eat. Minutes after he started, he noticed Sakuno looking at him intently. He swallowed quickly. "Do I have something on my face?"

She blinked, and then shook her head in reassurance. "I was just wondering..." She took a deep breath. "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

His answer was quick and too broad for her taste. "Don't have time for them."

She frowned. "But you have time for me, right?"

He blinked, as if the thought never occurred to him before. "I... well..." He struggled for the proper words. How come he never thought of that before? "You're the only human being of the opposite sex who does not intend to kill me."

She giggled. "They don't intend to kill you, Ryoma-kun. They're madly in love with you."

"Doesn't make any difference."

"It does." He looked at her in mild confusion, but she was too intent on fixing his finished bento.

"What does?"

"You not having a girlfriend."

"Why?" He stopped, looking at her in alarm. "Did they hurt you again?" he asked urgently, remembering an incident during second year where some girls ganged up on her.

She looked absolutely appalled at the idea. "Of course they didn't, Ryoma-kun! Not after..."

Not after making sure anyone who even touched a hair on her head will meet his or her death. Slowly.

She sighed, afraid he was going to get any more ideas. Slowly, she took dozens of letters from her bag and placed them in front of him. "There."

"Damn. This is much more than the last time."

"Well, it did get a little heavier than yesterday..." she said wryly.

"Don't they ever get tired?"

"Apparently not."

He scoffed. "Girls are so irritating."

A smile tugged her lips. "Does that include me on the list?"

"Well, technically, you are... but it's not everyday I get to have a female best friend, right?"

"When did you ever get so mushy, Ryoma-kun?"

"I resent that."

She merely smiled in reply, much to his annoyance.

"What?" he asked gruffly. He grabbed a letter from the pile and glanced away. Stupid Ryuzaki...

The letter read: _'Ryoma-sama, I am your number one fan. I hope you ask me- '_ He took another one. _'I love you! You are so great, Ryoma-sama-'_ He growled. Were this girls stupid or what? He chucked the letter away and was about to read another one when he noticed a white envelope among all the pinks and reds.

_'Sometimes, I wonder what made you different. Aside from the amazing tennis skills and the exotic features, there's nothing extraordinary about you. That is, until I noticed small things... little things about you that I doubt even your most loyal supporters noticed.'_

Ryoma blinked. Well, this one was way different. He continued to read.

_'How you like Eiji-senpai and Momo-senpai even after they call and tease you... how you always smirk when Tezuka-senpai gets flustered by Fuji-senpai's antics... how you love washing your face after a hard practice... how you hate it when girls call you Ryoma-sama... and then I realized...'_

"Ne, Ryoma..." He didn't notice how Sakuno's eyes had widened, her face paling, when she saw him reading THAT letter. Quickly, she lunged towards it. Unfortunately, Echizen Ryoma was also famed for his quick reflexes, and at that exact moment, he turned to face her, the letter hidden behind him.

WHAAM!

"Ow..." Ryoma groaned, feeling his back slam to the ground harshly. "Kami-sama, you're strong..."

Sakuno was moaning in pain, clutching her forehead gingerly from where it collided with his shoulder. She didn't even notice she was practically sprawled all over the tennis captain. "Mou, Ryoma-kun... you shouldn't have turned..."

As soon as the dull pounding sensation stopped, he sat up, taking her with him. "Che..." She muttered about stupid boys in general, eliciting a small chuckle from him. He grasped her shoulders gently. "Hey, Ryuzaki, let me see it."

She shook her head.

He scoffed and removed her entwined fingers from her forehead. As soon as he saw the bump, he winced. There was a slight swelling, the bump shining red. "I forgot you bruise easily..."

"Does it look bad?" she asked in a small voice.

Ryoma was about to say yes, just to tease her, until he saw her eyes. Quite suddenly, he remembered how she was always touchy about her looks- and how she valued his opinion above others. He knew... because she told him. So instead, he placed a hand on her forehead, grinning. "No, it doesn't... but you have to promise me it'll heal really quickly. I don't want coach hunting for my blood."

A smile tugged at her lips. "Saa, you're right... but..." She blinked. "Haven't I told you obaa-san is out of town?"

He blinked. "Oh. You're right. I think she told me that too."

At that moment, Sakuno realized with sudden shocking clarity their very compromising position. Her cheeks burned, causing him to peer worriedly at her face's sudden rise in temperature. "Um... Ryoma-kun, can you... um, let go now?" she squeaked.

He blinked again, then shrugged, his hand falling casually to his side. She didn't waste the opportunity to jump off him, making sure there was a respectable distance between them. That was, until she remembered why she lunged at him in the first place.

The letter!

"Ryoma-kun, um... anou... may I see the letter you're reading?"

Unfortunately, that made him remember about the letter too. "Right." He grabbed the letter which was lying innocently beside him (Sakuno cursed herself for not seeing the letter there in the first place). "Where was I?"

Kami-sama, no. "WAIT!" She scooted back to him, the color rushing once again to her cheeks. She was almost hyperventilating. "Please don't re..." Her mouth suddenly ran dry.

Echizen Ryoma just laid his head on her lap.

Dear Kami-sama.

"R-ryoma-kun!"

A hand fiddled with his cap while the other raised the letter to block out the sun. Sakuno was too shocked to even think of taking the letter practically waving at her face. A corner of his mouth quirked slightly upwards. "I always knew you were comfy..."

Comfy.

Echizen Ryoma thought she was comfy.

Tomoka will have a field day.

Her vocal chords seemed to desert her, so she gently placed a hand on his head, with the intent to push him away. Until he suddenly became incredibly sweet and leaned towards her touch. She almost drew back her hand as if scalded. Instead, her fingers, albeit shaking, gently stroked the side of his face.

His eyes closed, his hand lowering to touch her wrist briefly in reassurance, the letter forgotten.

Her heart pounding in her chest, Sakuno hesitantly ran her fingers through his dark hair... something she always wanted to do. When he didn't make any objections, she indulged herself and fingered the soft strands. Moments later, his shoulders relaxed, and she knew he had fallen asleep. She continued caressing his face until she remembered herself. And who she was and who she was with. Her whole body stiffened, and she gently disentangled herself from him, hoping, hoping her Ryoma-kun wouldn't wake up.

He didn't.

Grabbing the letter and the bento, she bolted for the door, only one thought running through her confused mind.

What the hell had just happened?

_'...how you hate it when girls call you Ryoma-sama... and then I realized... that I am deeply, madly, completely in love with you, Ryoma-kun.'_

----

a/n: is it bad? too much fluff? too sappy? um, entirely too horrible to describe in words?

kami, I hope not. (grins) please review, and thank you to all the people who have read this fic.

merry Christmas!


	2. Chapter 2

**SUMMARY: Ryoma and Sakuno are the best of friends. But why is that such a bad thing?**

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. (sighs)

a/n: all thanks to the people who have given me reviews- **Kawaii Chou**, **Elme**, **CrazyGirlofManyNames**, **Jomai**, **The Sakura Snowflake**, **Fullmoon05**, **Hazelnut**, **pinkfloweree**, and **YummieCreamy**! Thank you so much!

----

**_Chapter 2: Together_**

Ryoma woke up, feeling something akin to satisfaction. He sat up, yawned, and was faintly surprised but undisturbed when he discovered it was the end of the school day. He could hear the students of Seishun Gakuen making their way out of the school grounds, obviously relieved. He stretched for a few minutes (better get ready for practice) and was about to leave when he saw a pile of letters on the ground. He frowned.

_Girls are really so annoying._

He thought for a while. Except maybe... one.

Sighing, he gathered the letters and stuffed them as much as possible in his pockets. He had half a mind to leave them there, but he remembered what happened the last time he did it. Those girls would think Sakuno didn't give it to him. So, his pockets bulging, he went down to the locker room (using the quickest and least populated way), dumped all the letters in a bag, and changed into his uniform. Taking his tennis bag, he proceeded to the courts, all the while thinking about battle tactics and future tennis matches and Ryuzaki.

He was halfway to the courts when he realized something.

_Wait, Ryuzaki?_

Oh. Right. The old hag was out of town. He needed to walk her home. He nodded. Right.

So his thoughts resumed... _Horio needs to put more power into his strokes... fifty laps for all the regulars... I need Inui-senpai to make more of his Aozu v. 29... Ryuzaki's hands are so soft... a scheduled practice match with St. Rudolph... I wonder if I can keep Ryuzaki company tonight... a boys' night out at Momo-senpai... I need to buy more catnip for Karupin... does Ryuzaki have any suitors? Could she-_

Ryoma's train of thought promptly screeched to a halt. He did NOT like where his thoughts are going. Since when did he want to keep Ryuzaki company? At night, no less. He snorted. Stupid perverted oyaji thoughts...

"Hey, Echizen!"

He looked up, saw his vice-captain, Horio, and pasted the usual bored look on his face. He didn't realize he arrived. "What're you doing?" He frowned, seeing him in his school uniform. "Why aren't you ready for practice?"

Horio looked at him weirdly. "Uh, Echizen, practice's cancelled, remember? Big storm coming? Everyone needs to go home early?"

Oh. How could he have forgotten that? He was thinking too much. Honestly. If thoughts of Ryuzaki as his friend already distract him, what more if- he will not- never- go there. His frown deepened. "What're you here for?"

Horio scratched his head. "Um... wait a sec... oh! I was at talking to Osakada minutes before when Ryuzaki-chan told me she's sorry she can't wait for you. She said she needed to- wait, Echizen!"

Ryoma didn't know when he moved, but he later found himself walking briskly outside the school grounds, determined to find his coach's granddaughter. They always walked home together. He always walked her home... so why the hell did she walk home ALONE? When he rounded a corner, he broke into a run. If his calculations were correct, Ryuzaki had a good five-minute head start- but he had longer legs. And he was running. Fast. His keen eyes spotted an auburn-haired girl walking sedately at a distance. He slowed down, pleased. He was positive that girl was the one he's looking for. Tugging his cap further down his head, he walked until he was almost a foot away behind her. "Hey, Ryuzaki."

She gasped, turning around quickly to face him, a hand over her heart. "R-ryoma-kun! Please don't scare me like that!"

He shrugged indifferently. "Sorry."

"Why are you here?" He scowled at her tone. She sounded like she didn't even want to see his shadow. "And..." She reached out and touched his temple. "You're sweating... have you been running?"

With a start, he realized she was right. And like hell he was surprised! He didn't even break a sweat when having a match with his non-regular members. He must have been really desperate... kami, what's happening to him? At a loss for words, he simply shrugged again.

Sakuno sighed, took a clean white handkerchief from her bag, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Really, Ryoma-kun... you could catch a cold..."

He smirked. "Who's acting like my wife now?"

Her hand jerked in surprise, her eyes wide. "I-I'm not!" He chuckled, making her throw the handkerchief at his chest. "Stop teasing me!"

He put on his best affronted look. "Honey, don't be so brutal."

Her face flamed. "RYOMA-KUN!"

He laughed, walking forward. She really was too fun to tease. "Let's go home, love. Wouldn't want to leave our kids waiting."

She almost screamed. "Ryoma-kun!" She ran after him and glared at him for good measure. "You're so weird sometimes..." she muttered. He smirked.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes was watching.

----

Ryoma sank down on the couch, watching with hooded eyes as Sakuno made him some hot chocolate. It was half past six, it was raining hard outside (he belatedly remembered Horio's warning), and she had invited him inside for something to warm him up. He stifled a yawn.

"Here you go, Ryoma-kun..."

He nodded and took the offered cup. "Thanks."

She smiled. "Please wait for a second. I'm just gonna change." He must have made some sort of affirmative noise because she left. He took a sip, grateful for the warmth of the drink. It had been really cold, and he was thankful they barely got wet. Minutes later, he heard a door close. He looked up, and his jaw dropped.

She was wearing a black skirt that didn't quite reach her knees and a white sweatshirt that was much too long for her.

She looked absolutely gorgeous.

He quickly ducked his head, faintly aware of the blush on his cheeks. Stupid hormones... She sat down beside him, oblivious of his inner turmoil. "Mou... it's so cold..." She glanced at him. "Aren't you?"

"I don't mind it."

"What if you catch a cold?"

"I won't."

She chuckled. "OK, Ryoma-kun..." She noticed his empty cup. "Would you like another one before you go?"

It was out of his mouth quicker than he had thought. "Can we watch a movie?" He blanched. "I mean-"

She shook her head, smiled, put a CD on the player, turned off the lights, and plopped back down beside him. "All we have here is chick flicks. I hope you don't mind..."

He honestly didn't care even if they were watching an action movie or something. He just didn't care.

----

Two Hours Later

Ryoma groaned, annoyed by the sudden beeping noise coming from his bag. He knew he should have turned the damn phone off... Growling when the beeping didn't stop, he gently moved Sakuno off him to get to his phone. "What?"

"You brat, where the hell are you?"

Stupid oyaji. "What the hell do you care?"

A snort. "I don't. Your mother's calling all your friends asking where on earth you are. It's almost nine, you idiot. The least you could do while frolicking with a girl is to call us."

"Che... we're just watching a movie..." he grumbled.

"Fine, fine. You have such a dull life, brat. Wait... you didn't... you're with a girl?! Kami, what did you do to my stupid son?"

_Such a drama king._ "Look, oyaji, don't worry about me. I'm just staying with Ryuzaki for a while because the old hag's on some kind of adventure... now please let me sleep?" he muttered. "Worst timing..."

A chuckle. "Hah! I knew you liked cute innocent Ryuzaki-chan!"

He scoffed. "Whatever, oyaji."

"What time will you be home?"

Ryoma thought for a while. "I'll be back there before morning... probably to change."

"Che. Sure. Play nice!" Beep.

He groaned, turning the phone off. "Why do I have such a weird family?" He noticed everything was dark, and belatedly realized the movie was already finished. A soft weight landed on his shoulder, and the scent of strawberries assaulted his senses. A gentle smile graced his features when he saw Sakuno's sleeping figure slumped against his. Unconsciously, his hands reached out to touch her face. She stirred, and he pulled back quickly. A blush stained his cheeks. Kami-sama, what was happening to him?

"Ryoma-kun?"

He started. "You're awake."

She smiled softly as she curled herself around him. "I'm sorry I've been such a bother. Are you all right?"

"We were just sleeping. Don't think so much about it."

"Un... what time is it?"

"A few minutes after nine, I guess..."

She sat up quickly, disbelief etched in her features. "Nine? Ryoma-kun, your parents must be worried! Mou... you shouldn't have stayed..."

"And leave you here all alone? I think not." His tone was too sharp and too worried for his liking.

Sakuno almost melted at his words. Who knew her Ryoma-kun could be so terribly sweet? "I'll be all right, Ryoma-kun. I don't think obaa-chan's going to take long." To be honest, her grandmother would be gone for a few more days, but Ryoma doesn't need to know that.

He laughed dryly. "Right. A week at most. I happen to listen to her sometimes, you know."

She sighed. Well, there was no escaping him. "Oh, all right. But I'll be fine. I'm already seventeen years old, Ryoma-kun."

"And you're a girl," he pointed out.

"And you're a boy," she countered, grinning. "What would other people think?"

"I don't care what other people think. What?" he asked at her incredulous look. "You want to stay at our house?"

She laughed warmly. "I think I'd like that but-"

The idea popped into his head as soon as she agreed. If Sakuno stayed at HIS house, he needn't worry about her anymore. Besides, the old hag knew about his father, and he was positive she'll have no qualms about her granddaughter staying at the Echizen residence. "Good. I'll ask oyaji to get us as soon as your things are ready."

Her eyes were wide and almost luminous in the darkness. "Ryoma-kun, I was joking."

"I'm not."

"But I can't! Echizen-san-"

"-will not mind it. You're my best friend, aren't you?"

She moaned in frustration. Was he dense or what? "Kami, all the girls will kill me. I'll be at the hit list of every human being at school..." She glared at him. "If something ever happens to me, just remember you're the cause of it."

He raised an eyebrow. "It's either you stay in our house, or you're going to stay in our house, or the old hag will return and find me curled outside your bedroom door. Choose your pick."

Her mouth twitched. "Is that a threat?"

He shrugged. "Now will you go to your room and pack, or will I have to physically carry you there? Or maybe you'd simply want to go to my house and wear my clothes?"

She stifled a giggle. "Why do all my options involve you being physical with me?"

"Because I know you'll have no choice but not to pick them."

"You're so sarcastic."

He smirked. "Well, that's why you like me, right?"

"God, but you're so insufferable," she muttered. "Fine. I'll go pack." And she left, leaving Ryoma with a completely satisfied smirk on his lips.

----

a/n: am I any good? I hope so.

any review will be highly appreciated. thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

**SUMMARY: Ryoma and Sakuno are the best of friends. But why is that such a bad thing?**

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. (sighs)

a/n: waaa… I got tons of really cool reviews! Thank you for supporting my fic! This chappie is for all of you! All thanks to **Kawaii Chou**, **Elme**, **CrazyGirlofManyNames**, **Jomai**, **The Sakura Snowflake**, **Fullmoon05**, **Hazelnut**, **pinkfloweree**, **YummieCreamy**, **ignoredflower**, **KrisMs**, **nertz**, **pinklove**, **Forever** **Dreamin**, **larsha**, **Cyansilent**, **2756**, **kanomie08**, **Sumaru93**, **KenRik**, **loki lee**, **pabi chan**, **The Magical Whatever**, and **jHeyTTernallie**! Arigato gozaimasu! And a belated Happy New Year!

----

**_Chapter 3: Love and Pain_**

Sakuno started when a car pulled up outside their house. She locked gazes with Ryoma, positively terrified. "Anou, Ryoma-kun, are you sure?"

Ryoma shrugged again, taking her bags. "No, but don't worry too much. It's not like you're gonna get eaten or something. Oyaji's harmless... most of the time."

Sakuno nervously adjusted her rose-colored pajamas, worn under her black coat. "Do I look okay? Should I change again?"

Actually, Ryoma thought she looked pretty good, but he wasn't about to say that. "Che. It's almost eleven in the evening, Ryuzaki. Even if you were wearing nothing, I'm sure my family wouldn't mind," he joked.

She flushed. "That wasn't funny."

There was a loud banging on the front door. "Look, kiddies, you can continue whatever kissing session you're having at the house. Open the damn door."

Ryoma frowned, opening the door quickly only to meet face-to-face with his father who was holding a large umbrella. "Watch the language, oyaji." He brushed past the older man, not even bothering to shield himself from the large drops. "Let's go, Ryuzaki."

Sakuno nodded, bowing timidly to Nanjiroh before locking the house. "Um... good evening, Echizen-san... Ryoma-kun, you're getting wet!" she called out worriedly.

Nanjiroh smiled at her cheekily. "Nice to see you too. So, since my stupid didn't even bother with details-" At this, he winked suggestively at her. "Do you mind- oomph!" He was promptly elbowed by one very pissed-looking Echizen Ryoma.

"Stupid oyaji... I told you she was off-limits..." Ryoma muttered, grabbing her wrist and guiding her to sit on the backseat of the sleek black sedan but not before shielding her with a large coat.

Nanjiroh grumpily followed them, rubbing his sore side. "Che... I was being polite, you brat! And you're going to get the car wet!"

Ryoma rolled his eyes, smirking briefly at Sakuno while his father started the car. "Right, oyaji. Polite."

As Nanjiroh's grumbling continued, a smile graced her features. She may be really nervous about everything, but she was sure everything's going to be all right in the end. She hoped, at least.

----

As soon as Sakuno stepped out of the car, she was promptly hugged by Ryoma's cousin, Nanako. "Oh, Ryoma, you brought her to meet us!"

Sakuno returned the hug, feeling more than nervous. "Um... I'm sorry to be such trouble..."

"Oh nonsense. It's not everyday Ryoma brings someone to our house, much less a pretty girl like you!"

Nanjiroh chuckled. "Actually, the little brat never brings anybody here, even his former teammates."

"So you must be really special," Nanako added.

Sakuno shook her head. "Anou, it's not like that..."

Ryoma, who was carrying Sakuno's bag, breezed by them, a scowl on his face. "You're making it sound like she's my girlfriend or something..." he shot back.

Nanako laughed, following him inside and pulling Sakuno along. "Well, isn't she?"

Ryoma entered the guest room, the one adjacent to his, and set Sakuno's bag on the floor. He gave Nanako a deeper frown. "She's my coach's granddaughter."

Nanako shrugged, smiling, and left them both, but not before saying, "Whatever you say, Ryoma."

Sakuno almost giggled at the insulted look on his face. He was really too cute sometimes...

"I hate it when she does that..." he grumbled.

She smiled, removed her coat, and flopped down on the bed. "She's really nice, Ryoma-kun." She ducked her head, flushing again. "Thank you for making me stay here... it's very kind of you."

He shrugged. "Breakfast's at six. See you." And he made to leave.

Her hand shot out to grab his impulsively.

He blinked.

She blinked. Suddenly, she just seemed too shy. What was she about to say to him again? "I'm sorry I made you worried... I just... I just needed to be alone, I guess..."

He smirked, but relief was evident in his tone. "You always say sorry about everything. Don't think too much about it, Ryuzaki."

She nodded, smiling. "Good night Ryoma-kun."

"G'night."

----

Beep. Beep. Beep. BEEP!

Ryoma turned the alarm clock off, yawning. Running a hand through his tousled hair, he shuffled to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, took a bath, and changed to his uniform. He looked groggily at the clock, 5:45, and went to the dining room. He plopped down on his seat, his head resting quickly on the table. He didn't even notice his mother, who was shaking her head disapprovingly at him. Meanwhile, Ryoma was wishing fervently that they'll be having a Japanese breakfast... he always did hate western food...

A hand touched his shoulder gently. "Ryoma-kun?"

His head shot up quickly, barely missing Sakuno's chin. "Ryuzaki!"

Sakuno laughed softly. "I never knew you were so disoriented in the morning."

He scoffed, laying his head back down again. "I never knew either." Before he could close his eyes, his head shot up again, startling Sakuno. "What are you doing here?"

She blinked. Did he actually forget? "Um... you brought me here, remember?"

He blinked. "I did? Oh. Right." Sighing, he offered her a small smile. "Did you sleep well?"

She smiled weakly. "Hai. Did you?"

He was about to say no, which was the truth, but could he tell her SHE (how she was so close, if his baka oyaji would suddenly creep into her room like some pervert- causing him to sit up quickly in his bed more than once) was the reason why he couldn't even close his eyes in the first place? "Che..." Before their talk could continue, a plate of steaming Japanese food was set before him. His eyes widened, looking disbelievingly at his mother.

His mom shrugged. "Sakuno's here, so I figured she'd prefer an eastern breakfast."

Ryoma couldn't believe his luck. He grinned, smiling playfully at his best friend. "God, you've got to stay here forever..." It was said so sincerely that Sakuno couldn't help but blush.

----

Ryoma never realized the consequences of his actions. That was until he stepped foot into Seishun Gakuen with Sakuno in tow. An indestructible wall made of dozens of students, boys and girls alike, towered before him. His first thought was, _"What the hell?"_ Sure, he knew he was fairly good-looking and all but boys? He was about to give them his famous _'mada mada dane'_ until he saw their faces.

_Murderous_. With the intent to kill.

It would have been all right, he mused, if they were trying to kill Horio, or even Momo-senpai, but _NOOO_. His instincts kicking in, he grabbed Sakuno's hand and made a speedy exit even before the human wall could make a reaction.

And so he found himself running for his life.

Sakuno was breathing heavily behind him, her hand clutched tightly in his. "R-ryoma-kun, w-what's happening?" she panted, trying her best to catch up with him.

Ryoma turned to look at her and saw the murderous crowd hot on their heels. Without even thinking, he stopped, pulled her into his arms, and began running again. She didn't even have the chance to react. "Heck, I don't know!"

Never in her life did Sakuno picture herself being carried by THE Echizen Ryoma. It would have been amusing and blush-worthy if they weren't about to be killed. As it was, she found herself looking horrified beyond his shoulder, praying-praying they would somehow make it alive. The girls could be brutal. They turned a corner, and his keen eyes saw a row of lockers. He jumped into one, making sure she was at the most comfortable position possible before locking themselves inside. He let out an audible sigh of relief when the crowd passed by the row of lockers without even stopping.

"Um... can you let me down now?"

He started, looking into Sakuno's deep brown eyes. He slowly let her down, embarrassed. "Sorry."

She gave a nervous smile. "Are we..." she swallowed. "What happened?"

He shifted and found himself flushed against her. He resisted the urge to fan himself. God, it was hot. "I-I..." he stuttered.

She didn't seem to notice. She peered through the slits in the door. "Are we safe now?" She sighed. "I'm positive I did nothing out of the ordinary, Ryoma-kun... I don't know why they're suddenly angry at me... I'm sorry you had to be involved."

He looked at her weirdly. "At you? Heck, they were going to murder me!"

She blinked in confusion. "I... um... why would they?"

"Because they-" He stopped, blinking. "I don't know. You don't think they... wait. Girls only get angry at you when they think you're getting too close to me... so..."

She shuffled nervously. "Do you think they know I'm staying at your house?"

"What does have to do with anything?" he asked, a tad defensive.

Realization struck her quickly soon after. "Oh Kami-sama... everything makes sense! Oh God, they're going to kill me..." she muttered feverishly.

"What? So what if they find out you're at my house? You're my best friend, aren't you?"

She stared at him, a tinge of regret in her tone. "But they don't know that, Ryoma-kun. They think I'm just an attention-grabbing girl who's head over heels in love with you."

Something she said made his heart twinge. "And you're not?" His tone was almost daring.

She smiled softly, reaching up to brush a lock of hair away from his face. "Hmm... maybe not the attention-grabbing part."

His breath hitched. As dense as he may be, if he wasn't wrong, his best friend just made a weird sort of confession of love. "Good," he murmured. For one moment, they were staring at each other, and the next, she was pinned to the closed door, his mouth gently moving over hers. With much willpower, he pulled himself away from her, albeit momentarily. "What are we doing?" he gasped.

"Ryoma-kun, I-I-"

He swooped in to kiss her again. "Don't answer." And then he was all over her, his hands fisting in her dark hair as she pulled him flushed against her. And then she was brushing her lips against his forehead, his eyelids, his cheeks, planting butterfly kisses all over his face. "So," he said softly. "Does this qualify me as your best friend anymore?"

He had meant it to be a joke, or maybe a hint of his intentions to make their relationship a step further. Because he did want to bring things to the next level. The first kiss they shared was a sign of their feelings for each other, right? _'Right,'_ he thought resolutely.

To her ears, though, it was a jarring wake-up call.

She tore herself away from him fiercely, her eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. What had she done? "Oh, Ryoma-kun, I'm so sorry!" And then the locker door opened and she was gone.

He didn't understand. All he could think about was how drugging her kisses were, and how soft she was, and how beautiful she had been, and how right she felt in his arms, and how he wanted to repeat this moment again and again and again...

She was crying, though...

His fists clenched. What the hell had he done?

----

a/n: there. all fluff galore and their first ever kiss. ha! I'm so-

was it good? too much drama? needs... I dunno, more drama?

anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chappie.

I'll be waiting for your reviews. thanks for reading!

ja!


	4. Chapter 4

**SUMMARY: Ryoma and Sakuno are the best of friends. But why is that such a bad thing?**

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. (sighs)

Note: All the _Italics _are flashback scenes!

All thanks to **YummieCreamy, pinkfloweree, Hazelnut, Fullmoon05, The Sakura Snowflake, Jomai, CrazyGirlofManyNames, Elme, Kawaii Chou, jHeyTTernallie, CrazyGirlofManyNames, KrisMs**,** ignoredflower, pinklove, Forever Dreamin, larsha, Cyansilent, 2756, kanomie08, The Magical Whatever, pabi chan, loki lee, KenRik, Sumaru93, unchangingxp, Pure Essence, BlueJx23, astig3422, ScarletNinja123, XkanomieX, animeflunky, Chi Bara, rotflol162, sakura4594, samurai-lapin** for reviewing my fic! They're really cool! Hope you continue supporting me!

----

_**Chapter 4: Memories**_

Ryoma blinked wearily, trudging towards the dining room. Not even bothering to do anything properly, he plopped down on a vacant seat and tried fervently to at least get a few minutes sleep.

_"I'm sorry, Ryoma, but Sakuno-chan hasn't arrived yet. Don't you always walk home together?" _

Groaning, his head fell down to the table with a loud thunk. He had been waiting for her until midnight. Where the hell was she?

_"Che, you little brat, what are you doing here moping when cute innocent Ryuzaki-chan is somewhere out there in the dark?"_

His perverted oyaji was right. Why did he not follow her? He groaned in frustration. Girls were so confusing... so what if he did kiss her? It was a natural progression, right? She was his only close female friend. He falling in love with her was inevitable.

Or was it?

But he was almost certain she liked him too. So what was stopping her? And what made her cry? He tried to think of anything, but when his mind drew a blank, he sighed. If she wasn't his best friend, and his soon-to-be girlfriend (at this, his thoughts were almost hopeful), he'd have dumped her by now.

"Ohayou, Ryoma-kun."

The soft voice startled him from his thoughts. There standing before him was his best friend herself, smiling gently and apparently unharmed. He shot up quickly and had half a mind to grab her shoulders and shake her senseless when he noticed how tense she was. "Where have you been?" he asked in the gentlest voice he could muster under the circumstances.

"I'm sorry if you were worried about me-" Damn hell he was worried! "-but I had been thinking." Was it just him, or was she backing away from him?

"About what?"

"Obaa-chan called, and she said she was going home tomorrow. I was thinking that maybe I should go right now."

He almost flinched. "Don't you want to be around me anymore?" he blurted out.

Her eyes widened. Her hand reached out to touch his face when she once again- he thought bitterly-_ 'realized' _herself. Her arm drew back quickly. "I-I... no... not really."

She was avoiding him, and he knew it. His eyes narrowed, and quite suddenly, he felt furious- at everybody, at her, at himself. "You're lying," he hissed dangerously. "Why on earth are you distancing yourself away from me?! I'm sorry I kissed you, if that's what you're worried about. I want you to tell me what the hell is wrong because I don't want you to stay away from me!" he practically shouted.

She was shaking, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "R-ryoma-kun, please calm down-" And she made a move to touch his shoulder.

Fearing her withdrawal once again, he grabbed her outstretched hand and pressed it to his heart. At that moment, Ryoma's mind was screaming at him to let go and that he was bordering on sappy now, but he just didn't care. He snarled and tugged her to him. "What the hell did you do to me?! All of a sudden you come sauntering into my life, and like hell I let you in, so there's no way I'm going to let you walk away from me again!" And then he pressed his lips to hers in a slow searing kiss.

When they broke away, her pupils were dilated, and she was staring at him like he had grown another head. And maybe he did. Because the Echizen Ryoma he knew can't- won't- do this sort of thing.

Until she came.

To his shock, crystal tears fell gently from her dark eyes, and then she was smiling weakly at him and placing kisses all over his face. "I think..." she whispered softly. "I think you love me."

_"Um... anou... R-ryoma-kun," Sakuno started nervously, glancing at the aloof freshman walking beside her. When he made no move to reply, she simply continued. "Why are you f-following me?"_

_Ryoma raised his cap to smirk at her. "What made you think that way?"_

_She bit her lip. "Um... well... I-I'm not really sure, b-but Ryoma-kun's house is on the other way, and you've been walking with me ever since... um..." She thought for a moment. "Ah! Ever since your match with Shinji-san..." She turned to look at him. "Is your eye ok now?"_

_He almost laughed at the worried look that crossed her features. "Che, that was months ago. I'm not that weak. Mada mada dane."_

_She nodded thoughtfully and continued walking, amusing him. How many minutes would it take for her to realize he didn't answer her question? Ryoma grinned to himself. Days, probably. But it was better for him anyway. He thought that maybe he had just woken up one morning with the urge to walk her home, and so far, the urge hasn't been fading. _

_But in all honesty, he didn't know himself._

_----_

_"What the hell are you doing walking out late at night?!" Ryoma hissed, grabbing Sakuno's arm and pulling her to an empty alley._

_Her eyes were wide, shocked. "R-ryoma-kun! What are you doing here?" Was he stalking her?_

_He shook his head furiously. "Where have you been?"_

_"A-ah... It's Tomo-chan's fourteenth birthday and-"_

_He scoffed. "And Osakada, or anyone, didn't even walk you home?"_

_She frowned defensively. "I can take care of myself, Ryoma-kun..."_

_He almost rolled his eyes. "Right." At her indignant scowl, he smirked and covered her bare shoulders with his jacket. And then his hand was on her back and he was guiding her gently. "Let's go home."_

_As all her anger dissipated at his concern, she smiled. "Hai. Let's go home, Ryoma-kun." _

_----_

_"Tomo-chan, I can't ask Ryoma-kun to the dance. You know he's not into that kind of stuff."_

_"But Sakuno-" Tomo whined. "You know I can't go because I have to take care of my little brothers! And at least this way, I know he's in good hands."_

_Sakuno sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Ryoma-kun won't even talk to me, Tomo-chan, so what makes you think he'll even agree?"_

_"Oh, don't worry about it so much. I'm sure-" Her eyes suddenly widened and she gasped. "Oh my gosh! He's walking this way! Sakuno, you HAVE to ask him!" And she promptly pushed the reluctant and surprised Sakuno. _

_"Ah!" Sakuno dug her heels to the ground as she almost collided with the tennis prince. At his raised eyebrow, she flushed. "I'm sorry, Ryoma-kun!"_

_"Go with me."_

_His blunt statement caused her to blink rapidly. What did he say? "Anou, Ryoma-kun, I don't understand-"_

_"To the dance," he said slowly. "Go with me."_

_Sakuno thought she was going deaf. "Could you please repeat that, Ryoma-kun? I thought you just said you wanted me to go to the dance with you."_

_"I did," he muttered, tugging the bill of his cap down. "Will you?"_

_Her jaw dropped. After a few minutes of tension, she finally stammered an affirmative response. He simply nodded and walked away briskly. She stared at his retreating back._

_Was he blushing? Or maybe it was just the light._

_She smiled. It was probably the light._

_----_

_He was furious._

_"And you left her ALONE?" he fumed, shooting a glare at the girl practically running to catch up with his brisk strides._

_Tomo frowned. "If I didn't, Ryoma-sama, how am I suppose to call you?! Scream until the whole bloody school comes running to our rescue?" she growled. "I think not!"_

_Ryoma resisted the urge to hit something. Osakada was right. They just had to go there as quickly as possible. "Are you sure she was alone? Nobody was prowling the corridors?"_

_She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Yes. I made sure of that."_

_There was a pause, and when he spoke to her, his tone was hesitant. "Was she... was she crying?"_

_She glanced at him, a sardonic smile twisting her features. "I'm not really sure, but I think being bullied by a throng of girls would do that to you," she countered sarcastically._

_His already tense body stiffened even more. "Does this happen often?"_

_Tomo almost snorted. He wasn't honestly THAT dense, was he? "Oh NO. This just happens every single day of every single waking moment of her life." Her rage was palpable in the air as she rounded on him. "I never thought that being close to you would result to this, so you better make things right! Don't give me that bullshit about this being not your fault because it is. Damn right it is."_

_He wanted to raise an eyebrow at her ranting, but he knew she was right. Damn, she was right. "Don't shout at me," he muttered tersely as they arrived in front of the door to the rooftop. He glanced at her and quickly glanced away. He absolutely hated when girls cried. He felt so helpless. _

_"Ryoma-sama," she whispered in a small barely-controlled voice. "Please take care of Sakuno." With that, she was gone._

_Straightening himself, he opened the door and found her hunched against the wall. At the sound of the door opening, her head quickly shot up, something dark and defiant in her eyes. When she saw him, her body sagged in relief and then tensed up again._

_"R-ryoma-kun?"_

_His fists clenched involuntarily when he spotted the redness and barely-visible handprint on her cheek. There were also dark marks on her pale skin. Ryoma swore to himself that he was going to physically disembody the person who did this to her. Letting his cool mask slip away, he knelt in front of her, a hand reaching to touch her face._

_She cringed. "D-don't!"_

_He nodded. Wondering how to phrase his thoughts, he simply sat beside her, basking in the warmth that was her presence. After a moment, he spoke again. "Nobody will be hurting you again."_

_"A-ah, hai..." she said weakly. And then she was sitting up straight again, her eyes wide as she looked at him in horror. "H-how did you know?"_

_She was surprised by the genuineness of his smile. "Friends are supposed to watch each other's backs, right?"_

_Her jaw dropped. "A-ah what?"_

_He faced her squarely, taking her hands. "Ryuzaki, if it doesn't bother you," he started, blushing a little. "Would you like to be my friend?" All he received as an answer was her launching herself in his arms and crying uncontrollably. _

_The next day, the whole Seigaku was astounded when they found THE Echizen Ryoma carrying a blushing Sakuno's bag. Virtually attached at the hips, they were inseparable ever since._

_----_

_It was Christmas Eve._

_Ryoma grumbled under his breath, chafing his hands. Where on earth was she? He tightened the black scarf around his neck, eyeing the nearly frozen fountain with something akin to disdain. Why the hell did she pick the fountain in the middle of the park to be their meeting place?_

_"Ah! It's so cold!"_

_His head whipped to the side. "Ryuzaki?!"_

_She was wearing a simple dress and jeans under the voluminous sweater that she wore. "Ah! Ryoma-kun!"_

_His mouth twitched up in his signature smirk. "You can barely be seen under those."_

_She laughed embarrassedly. "H-hai. I couldn't find anything else to wear." Noticing his barely-suppressed shivering, she took out a neatly-wrapped gift and handed it to him, her face beaming. "Merry Christmas, Ryoma-kun!"_

_He shook his head in amusement. "You made me come all the way here just to give me your Christmas present?" When her smile didn't falter, he grinned as well. He took the gift and at her eager look, he tore the wrapper and found a knitted green scarf inside. "Did you make this?" he asked as he removed his own scarf and wrapped hers around his neck. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable._

_She flushed, nodding. "I thought maybe you'll like something that I did with effort..."_

_He smiled inwardly at her thoughtfulness. "Thanks. I got you one too." And he promptly threw a small rectangular box at her. She barely caught it._

_"Ryoma-kun! Why did you have to throw it?" she mumbled, clutching the box to her chest._

_He shrugged._

_Smiling slightly, she opened the box and gasped when she saw the intricate silver bracelet. "Ryoma-kun, it's beautiful..." Almost in wonder, she clasped the bracelet around her wrist._

_"That's expensive, you know, so you better take care of it," he commented. She nodded slowly, and he turned to leave. "Ja."_

_"Wait!" He halted in his tracks. "I wasn't finished yet!" When he turned around to face her, she launched herself into his arms. "Happy birthday, Ryoma-kun." And then he felt a kiss on his cheek and something pressed into his hand and she was gone._

_A gentle smile crossed his features when he found a tennis ball with his face and the markings, "Ryoma-kun No. 1"._

_"Merry Christmas, Ryuzaki."_

----

a/n: so. Their second kiss ever. Is it okay? I've sorta made a background of their past.

I think somebody recommended I show a part of how they became friends and stuff. So?

Is it okay? I know I'm too sappy, so there might be fluff overload in this chappie.

I'm sorry if the characters are a bit OOC, but I hope you like it.

This fic is dedicated to myself (I'm turning 16! Yey!) and to all the people who reviewed my fic! Arigato gozaimasu!


	5. Chapter 5

**SUMMARY: A Valentines Day special. A marriage booth. Two soon-to-be lovers but currently best of friends. Sakuno nudged Ryoma's shoulder gently. "I'm not marrying you without a ring."**

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine. (sighs)

All thanks to **peanutkisses, jHeyTTernallie, pinkfloweree, samurai-lapin, **

**CrazyGirlofManyNames, Zero'N'oveR, astig3422, sakura-koneko, BlueJx23, Sumaru93, YummieCreamy, Hazelnut, Fullmoon05, The Sakura Snowflake, Jomai, Elme, Kawaii Chou, KrisMs**,** ignoredflower, pinklove, Forever Dreamin, larsha, Cyansilent, 2756, kanomie08, The Magical Whatever, pabi chan, loki lee, KenRik, unchangingxp, Pure Essence, ScarletNinja123, XkanomieX, animeflunky, Chi Bara, rotflol162, sakura4594 **for reviewing my fic! They're really cool! Hope you continue supporting me! Arigato gozaimasu!

----

_**Chapter 5: Always**_

Ryoma jerked when something was snapped firmly against his wrist. He looked down, saw the handcuffs, and looked up to glare at the perpetrator with furious hazel eyes.

Horio gave him a toothy grin. "Because you're my captain, and you could make me run laps-" Ryoma glowered inwardly. Damn hell! He'd give his bloody fukubuchou a thousand laps! "-I'm giving you the chance to choose your bride."

Ryoma clenched his teeth. "There's no way I'm going to marry anybody," he snarled.

Horio shook his head, the grin still on his face. "No way, Echizen! If you don't want to choose a girl, I'd choose one for you." At this, dozens of girls, ranging from freshmen to seniors, quickly lined up in front of him. The vice-captain nodded thoughtfully.

Ryoma's eyes narrowed. If Horio was even contemplating of choosing a girl for HIM, then he was seriously thinking of booting someone out of the team.

"A-anou... what's going on here?"

The voice was heaven to his ears... in more ways than one.

Horio's eyes lit up. "Ah! Sakuno-chan!"

She blinked at him in confusion, her eyes darting to the tennis captain. Ryoma nodded at her, a small smirk gracing his lips. Kami-sama, she looked beautiful. How come he never noticed how the school uniform complemented her?

Horio promptly grabbed her wrist and snapped the handcuffs around it, chuckling madly.

A heavy blush adorned her cheeks as she realized Horio's actions. "We're not about to get married, are we?" she whispered nervously to Ryoma.

That elicited a soft chuckle from him, and he looked at her in amusement. "Of course we're not. I haven't gotten you a ring yet."

Her mouth opened in surprise. And then she nudged his shoulder gently. "I'm not marrying you without a ring."

He raised an eyebrow. When she didn't budge, he sighed in mock-surrender. "Che." And he took out an emerald box out of his pocket, which he consequently threw at her.

Her eyes widened. Horio's eyes widened. Every person's eyes in the room widened.

Horio rubbed his eyes to see if he was dreaming. When the box didn't disappear, his jaw dropped. "Echizen, are you proposing to Sakuno-chan?"

Ryoma gave him a glare. "Oh NO. I just gave her a ring because I felt like it."

"When did you get this?"

He shrugged in what he hoped was an offhanded way. Because at that moment, butterflies were flying like crazy in his stomach. "Just yesterday. After you told me I loved you."

Horio's jaw hit the floor. Some of the girls fainted.

Sakuno smiled softly, and Ryoma could see her eyes were shining with unshed tears as she looked at him. He felt his breath catch. "You didn't say anything."

His mouth twitched. "I was too busy kissing you that time."

The remainder of the girls fainted as well. In the sidelines, Horio looked like he was having a palpitation.

She clutched the box tightly in her hands, her eyes gazing at him searchingly. "Is this for real?"

He smiled warmly, one that made Horio run out of the room screaming "Pigs are flying!" because of its sincerity. "No, it isn't." And then he dropped down on one knee, eliciting a surprised gasp from her.

"R-ryoma-kun!"

"I'm not asking you to marry me, you know," he muttered. "Not yet, at least."

Her face flushed. "RYOMA-KUN!"

He smirked, took the ring, and gently inserted it in her ring finger. He admired the small diamond adorning the silver ring. "It actually looks good on you," he teased.

She nodded weakly as her lower lip started to tremble. "R-ryoma-kun-"

He laughed and gave her a one-arm hug. "Mada mada dane, Ryuzaki." He leaned down to whisper in her ear and bask in the rightness of everything as she started to cry softly. "Mada mada dane."

----

They got _married_ that day, much to the shock and amazement of everybody, and then she was officially announced as Echizen Ryoma's girl friend. The comfort room was packed with girls crying over the loss of the most sought after bachelor in school. Most of them got over it, though. The Echizen Ryoma Fan Club wasn't dissolved, however. In fact, Sakuno was immediately held as an honorary member. She was THE Echizen Ryoma's girl friend after all.

And then... and then everything was back to the way it was.

"Ryuzaki, I'm trying to do my homework."

Sakuno blinked, surprised. What had she been doing? She was simply sitting on his bed, that's what. "A-anou... I don't understand."

He swiveled on his chair to face her, tilting his head slightly. A smirk graced his lips as he noticed the cap on her head. And she was wearing his regular's jacket. She looked really pretty. "It looks better on you than it does on me," he commented wryly.

She laughed. "Mou! You're teasing again." She smiled. "You look good in anything you wear, Ryoma-kun."

"Che." He turned around again to hide his blush. "Don't distract me."

"But I'm not doing anything!"

He had moved so fast she didn't even have the time to blink as he cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. "You were looking too pretty," he breathed.

"Ryoma-kun! I was just sitting here! And you weren't even looking at me!"

"Love does that to people." Sakuno's eyes widened. Ryoma's eyes widened. And then you could see her holding back a giggle. "That sounded so sappy, right?" She shook her head vehemently, her hand over her mouth. He groaned. "I can't believe I said that."

"Don't worry, Ryoma-kun," she said, giggling softly. "It was sweet coming from you." He looked a tad insulted, and then there was a glint in his eye. She didn't even notice when he started. She was rolling on his bed, squealing like a school girl as his fingers ghosted along her sides. "Ryoma-kun!" she gasped.

He smirked above her. "Who's sweet now?" He tickled her mercilessly until she finally managed to tackle him, both of them falling hard on the floor, her on top of him. "Ow," he groaned. "Kami-sama, you're heavy."

She was giggling madly, and then she was kissing him again.

Ryoma never did get to finish his homework.

And he didn't care.

----

"Wait for me at exactly seven."

Sakuno looked up from packing her things. "Sorry?"

"When you go back, wait for me at exactly seven," he repeated.

Her eyes dawned in realization. And then she was confused. "Seven? But that's so early, Ryoma-kun. Classes start at a quarter before eight. And we never consume more than fifteen minutes walking to school."

He smirked. "Who said we'll only be walking?"

The sock she threw at him and the blush on her cheeks made his smirk wider.

----

"RYUZAKI!"

Sakuno stopped in her tracks. She turned around and was surprised to find a bunch of girls looming ominously in front of her. She smiled hesitantly. "Hai?"

The girl nearest to her growled and took a step forward. "You have no right."

Sakuno belatedly realized that some of the girls looked familiar. Not in a particularly friendly way. She remained quiet. Her Ryoma-kun told her to fight back, but she was never fond of violence.

"I knew you wanted him, you scheming little witch," the girl, Mizumi, hissed. "I knew you would eventually try to take him away."

Sakuno opened her mouth to retort, but the stinging slap that was delivered to her cheek left her momentarily stunned.

"You deserve that," Mizumi snarled. "And more." She promptly raised her hand to strike again when a hand closed around her wrist.

"NEVER. TOUCH. MY. GIRLFRIEND."

Sakuno almost jumped when an arm curled around her waist. She looked up and was surprised to find her tennis prince holding her. "Ryo-"

"Shut up!" Mizumi shouted, her green eyes furious. She shook her wrist free from Ryoma's grasp. "You planned all of this along! You knew he was going to come, you slut!"

The sharp slap delivered to her cheek shocked her.

Sakuno gasped. "Ryoma-kun!"

Dark hazel eyes simmering with barely restrained fury stared Mizumi down. "You should go," he said in a soft lethal voice. "Before I decide to do something I will never regret."

"R-ryoma-sama-" she started in a brokenhearted voice, tears falling from her eyes. Sakuno felt so helpless as she watched her classmate break down. Ryoma didn't even move an inch.

"I don't hate you," Ryoma suddenly announced in a blank voice. "But if you ever touch my girlfriend again..." His eyes hardened. "Then damn you to hell."

It had been so dramatic, Sakuno mused. If she hadn't been involved, she would have cried. Her Ryoma-kun would make a great knight. As it was, they left, leaving a crying Mizumi and her cronies. Once they were outside the school premises, Ryoma cupped her face and kissed her senseless, ignoring the passersby who gaped openly.

Sakuno blinked at him, dazed.

He touched her cheek and said in the softest voice she had ever heard from him, "Are you all right?"

She smiled at the unmasked emotion in his eyes, and she nodded. "I'm fine."

_You're here._

----

"OCHIBI!"

Ryoma released a muffled groan as a solid weight slammed into his back. He glanced at his girlfriend, his lips quirking slightly as he noticed her wide eyes. "Nice seeing you too, Eiji-senpai."

The famed acrobatic player of the Golden Pair released him and gave him a wide grin. "Hoi, hoi! What are you doing here, ochibi?"

Ryoma grumbled under his breath. Snapping out of her daze, Sakuno rushed forward to help him smooth out his shirt.

"And-" Eiji took a step back uncertainly at the scene playing in front of his very eyes. "And why are you kissing Sakuno-chan nya?"

Sakuno flushed and slapped Ryoma's shoulder. "Ryoma-kun!"

"Waaaa! You're harassing Sakuno-chan, ochibi! I can't believe you'd stoop so low nya!"

Ryoma sighed in exasperation as Sakuno quickly defended her boyfriend.

Eiji couldn't believe his ears. "You mean- you mean-"

"Yes, senpai, we're on a date," Ryoma supplied helpfully. "And we're getting married soon."

"Ryoma-kun! He was kidding, Eiji-senpai!"

"Says who?"

Eiji looked at them in apparent disbelief. And then... and then he opened his mouth to wail, "OISHI!!!"

As if on cue, the other half of the legendary Golden Pair rushed out of a nearby sports shop. When his green eyes spotted a flash of red hair, he sighed in relief and walked over to them. After making sure his doubles partner was okay, he turned to face the couple with a pleasant smile. "Ah... Echizen, Ryuzaki-san."

Sakuno smiled shyly. "Oishi-senpai, it's nice seeing you again."

"Can you believe it, Oishi? Ochibi and Sakuno-chan! Together!"

"Yes, well- WHAT?!"

Ryoma shook his head. "Senpai, Ryuzaki and I are TOGETHER, got it?"

"Like friends?"

"Eiji, when they say together like that, it means they're lovers."

"Oh."

Oishi gave them a smile. "Took you long enough, I guess, ne, Echizen?" He laughed. "You even had a girlfriend before I did."

Ryoma almost snorted. "Oishi-senpai, Ryuzaki and Eiji-senpai aren't exactly of the same gender."

Oishi paled while a crimson flush crept up Eiji's face. "Ochibi!"

Sakuno smiled prettily at all of them. "Anou... it's a double date, then?"

The redhead laughed, slinging an arm around Ryoma and shooting his doubles partner a warm grin. "A double date it is, then."

Ryoma rolled his eyes. This was going to be a _long_ day.

----

a/n: ok. there. finished. as in DONE. I might add an epilogue, might being the operative word. the ending's pretty crappy (I just want my eiji to be involved somehow).

I'm sorry if this one is too late for valentines day. I can't rush it, you know. if you have any ideas, let me know.

also, thank you to all the people who have supported me all throughout the making of this story. love you guys!


	6. Epilogue

**Summary: RyoSaku. Epilogue. Years later, the best of friends might just be partners for life. Complete.**

**Disclaimer**: POT is still not mine, even if I wept and begged and cried blood. (Well, I didn't actually _cry_ blood, but you get the point. –grins–)

Stuff in italics are not flashbacks. Mostly they revolve around Ryoma's life in America. :D

&

_**Epilogue**_

"_Before I start, I would like to congratulate you for winning the American Open. So, Ryoma, I understand this is your first professional title?"_

_Echizen Ryoma tilted his head to the side, almost as if in deep thought. "Yeah. Sort of."_

_The reporter blinked in surprise. "Sort of?"_

_The 18-year old tennis champion shrugged. "I won three times in the American Junior League when I was twelve. I don't think that counts, though."_

"_Oh? When you were 12? That's pretty impressive."_

_Another shrug. "Thanks."_

_The reporter grinned slightly. "Well, now that that's over, let's have the real questions. The most frequently asked would be— do you have a girlfriend?"_

_Ryoma stared at him. "_That's_ the most frequently asked question?" he said incredulously._

_The reporter laughed. "You might be surprised by how frequent that's asked. So, do you?"_

_Ryoma shook his head in disbelief. "Can't believe it," he muttered to himself. With a huff, he leaned back in his seat. "Yeah. Yes I do." There was a collective groan from the audience._

"_Really?" The man chuckled. "For how long?"_

"_Three years."_

"_Oh, I see. Wait— three years?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Oh. OH. Well, that's… surprising. Well, it was nice meeting you, Ryoma. Congratulations on your win."_

"_Hn. Thanks."_

&

"Hello, everybody. My name is Ryuzaki Sakuno. I'll be teaching chemistry until Sayaka-san returns from her maternity leave. Please take care of me."

The class bowed.

Sakuno smiled. "Well, since it's our first meeting, we won't be having a real discussion today." Everyone cheered. "So, let's all get to know each other. Who has questions?"

"Sensei, how old are you?"

Her smile widened. "Twenty-four. What's your name?"

"Hiroki Ryuu, sensei."

"I see. Hiroki-kun. Any more?" At that, almost half the class raised their hands. She laughed slightly. "I'm glad you're all so eager. All right. What's your question?" she indicated to a pretty female student sitting near the window.

The girl grinned. "Sensei, I'm Izanami Rei. I'm sure all the boys would like to know the answer to this one, and I'm going to spare them the embarrassment of asking." All the hands promptly lowered at her pointed look. "So, sensei, do you have a boyfriend?"

Sakuno blinked and leaned against her table. "Well…" The class waited for her answer with bated breath. "Surprisingly, yes. I do have a boyfriend."

Rei giggled when half the class groaned. "I just knew she was taken. Sensei, how long have you been together?"

Sakuno blushed at the unexpected question. "O-oh. Almost ten, I think."

The younger girl gasped. "Wow! Then… you were together since you were in school?"

Sakuno blushed deeper and smiled shyly. "Y-yes. I studied here, actually."

There was a pause, until someone spoke from the back of the room. "Wait. You're related to the former tennis coach, Ryuzaki-sensei?"

Her eyes softened at the mention of her retired grandmother, and she met the gaze of a tall blue-eyed student. "Yes."

The student stood and smiled easily. "I'm the current captain of the tennis club, sensei. My name's Kazuhiko Ryoma."

&

"_Ryoma Echizen. Fancy seeing you here again."_

_The tennis pro offered an easy smile. "Yeah. Imagine that."_

_The reporter laughed. "And I see you've gained a sense of humor. Congratulations on your win. Again. I've lost count at six titles in four years."_

_Ryoma shrugged. "I could show you my trophy case."_

_The man chuckled. "Someday, maybe. How do you feel after winning your second Wimbledon?"_

"_Pretty good. A bit dehydrated, though. I think I could drink a dozen Pontas."_

_The man shook his head. "Well. You really did gain a sense of humor. I almost can't believe you were that uptight kid six years ago."_

"_Hey, I wasn't uptight." He offered a small grin. "I'd rather call it being focused."_

"_So, the question everyone would like to ask again— do you have a girlfriend?"_

_Ryoma sighed. "I can't believe that's still the most asked question. But yes, I do have a girlfriend."_

"_Oho, you really are the ladies' man, aren't you?" he teased._

_Ryoma grinned. "On the contrary, I'm actually the soul mate type of guy."_

"_Whoa, whoa! So it's _still_ that girl from six years ago?"_

"_It'll always be that girl," Ryoma said seriously._

"_I'm sure a lot of women are sorry to hear that, but that's pretty cool of you. Would you like to give a name?_

_His grin widened. "No. She's shy like that."_

"_So, are you going to marry her?"_

"_I've known her half of my life. I can't explain it much but…" Ryoma's smile was sly. "I think we've run out of time."_

_The reporter blinked and finally noticed the 15 SEC timer. "Aw. Well, it's nice seeing you again, Ryoma. I'm sure I'd see a ring by the time we see each other again."_

_The tennis prince laughed. "We'll see."_

&

"Sensei."

Sakuno looked up from checking her students' papers and smiled in surprise. "Kazuhiko-kun. Is something wrong?"

The tennis captain shrugged. "No. I just wanted to see you."

She blinked. "Oh. Well?"

"Well what?"

She smiled uncertainly. "Well now that you've seen me, is there something else?"

He gaped. She honestly couldn't be _that_ clueless, right? He laughed slightly. "Well, there _is_ something else, but I'm not sure you can solve it," he teased.

She sat straighter in her seat and leaned forward earnestly. "Really? I'm sure I can help, Kazuhiko-kun." Her smile was warm. "I'll do what I can."

Kazuhiko stared at her. Surely, it was a crime for a teacher to be that pretty. She was practically tempting him to—to corrupt her or something. "Sensei," he breathed.

Utada Hikaru's "Come Back to Me" suddenly played in the silence of the room. Sakuno started at the sound and whipped out her phone. When she looked at the screen, a surprised smile suddenly lit up her entire features. She motioned for Kazuhiko to wait for a moment.

He felt a spark of jealousy shoot through him. Because that smile was entirely different from the one she sent him.

&

"Hello."

"_Ryuzaki."_

"Ryoma-kun," she murmured. She didn't notice the boy behind her stare at her in surprise at the mention of his name.

"_You sound well."_

She laughed gently. "Of course. I'm taking care of myself. And you?"

"_Better now."_

Her cheeks darkened. "You're really becoming quite the charmer, Ryoma-kun."

There was a chuckle_. "Only for you."_

Her eyes softened. "You don't have a game?"

"_Yeah. In ten minutes."_

She gasped. "Ryoma-kun! Then why are you calling?"

"_Ryuzaki."_

Something in his voice made her sigh. "I love you, Ryoma-kun," she whispered.

"_Idiot." _She could almost hear the affection in his tone.

She smiled slightly. "Come home soon."

"_I will."_

&

When Sakuno hung up, she turned around and was surprised to see her student still there with the strangest look on his face. She flushed when she realized he must have overheard the rather sappy conversation. "That was, um, my boyfriend," she offered hesitantly.

"His name is Ryoma too?"

She laughed. "Yes. What a coincidence." He strode forward until he was right in front of her, and she was surprised by the intensity of his gaze. "Kazuhiko-kun?"

"Sensei," he breathed, grasping her hand firmly. She blinked at the touch. "I'm going to take you away from him."

She blinked again. "E-eh?" With one last squeeze of her hand, he left. Sakuno could only stare at his retreating form. Did he just…?

&

"_Are you telling me some _kid_ actually hit on her?"_

_Eiji rolled his eyes. "For the tenth time, ochibi, yes. One of the students did hit on Ryuzaki-chan."_

_Ryoma scowled._

_The redhead sighed and plopped next to the tennis prince. "Really, ochibi. It's not like it's the first time it happened. Ryuzaki-chan's a very pretty girl now. Even all my fingers and toes aren't enough to count the number of times she's been hit on the first month you were away. And maybe if I didn't have Oishi nya and I liked that sort of thing, I would have liked her too. Not that I don't, but you get my point, ne, ochibi?"_

_Ryoma scowled deeper. "You are _not_ helping, senpai. How on earth do you know these things anyway?"_

_Eiji grinned. "I'm not your senpai anymore, ochibi. And I'm not sure you want to know my methods."_

_Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Right. I don't."_

"_So," Eiji started, beaming. "When should I book the plane?"_

_Ryoma almost smiled. His senpai really were quite useful sometimes._

&

Ryoma almost felt nostalgic as he entered Seishun Gakuen. As he strolled through the grounds, he felt a bit more free. A grin tugged at his mouth. Maybe he should drop by the tennis courts, just for a while. He walked the familiar path to the courts and was surprised to see them empty. It was then that he noticed all the pink flyers and hearts and balloons tied randomly to some trees. He grinned a little. Trust Eiji-senpai to set up his flight on Valentine's Day. With a little sigh, he entered the courts. He could almost remember his junior high years, with Tezuka-buchou and the other regulars and the Nationals. And his third year. When he was the captain and he had fallen in love.

Shit. He _was_ really getting too sappy.

He spotted a racket lying innocently on the bench and immediately decided to play, for a little while. He smiled to himself as he took a tennis ball from his pocket. He can really never escape from tennis, huh? He didn't even notice a pair of wide brown eyes watching him in shock.

&

Sakuno jerked when something was snapped firmly against her wrist. She looked down, saw the handcuffs, and looked up to blink at the perpetrator with confused eyes. Kazuhiko grinned. "There wasn't actually a rule forbidding the students to wed with their teacher, right?"

"But Kazuhiko-kun—"

"By the end of this day, you're going to call me Ryoma," he muttered to himself. "Anyway, let's go sensei. Wouldn't want to be late for our appointment."

She frowned slightly and allowed him to drag her along. "Kazuhiko-kun, you know nothing would result from this, and _really_, I can't even think of liking anybody else but Ryoma-kun—"

"You meant me, right?" he grinned.

Her eyebrows knitted. "No! Will you please—" Her eyes widened as they approached the wedding booth. Sakuno was oblivious to the surprised stares of the students as she just focused on calming down and trying to talk reason to her student. "Kazuhiko-kun, please—" She was cut off by the rather dramatic appearance of a first year who suddenly burst through the bushes and stared at them with extremely wide eyes.

Kazuhiko blinked. "Arata? You okay?"

The boy swallowed gulps of air and finally forced himself to speak. "H-he's here," he stammered excitedly. "Echizen Ryoma's here!"

Sakuno's eyes widened.

"What? Really? Where?" Kazuhiko's eyes were gleaming with awe and excitement in finally seeing his idol. "Where?"

"A-at the t-tennis courts, buchou!" Arata wheezed.

There was a moment of tense silence. Then there was loud squealing and everybody was dashing towards the tennis courts. Even Kazuhiko. Who apparently forgot he was still chained to his poor sensei and was running at full speed. Sakuno couldn't believe her ears.

Why was Ryoma here?

&

Ryoma was a bit surprised when he heard screams and shouts in the air. His eyes widened slightly as students flocked to watch him. So… he was pretty famous after all, even with students. He offered a half-smile experimentally, and almost all the girls swooned. He blinked. Ok. No more smiling. Really, what was so exciting about watching him hit the wall? Oh! Maybe the current tennis captain was watching as well. Maybe they could play a game or something. That would be a good way to test the team's skill. He was just about to call out a challenge when—

"Echizen Ryoma-san!"

He turned around, and his eyes widened.

"Ryuzaki?"

&

Kazuhiko was practically trembling with excitement. He couldn't believe Echizen Ryoma was here. His idol, his superstar— he almost couldn't contain himself when he arrived at the tennis courts and finally saw the tennis pro face-to-face. "Echizen Ryoma-san!" The man turned to him, and he saw the surprise clearly etched on that face.

"Ryuzaki?"

Kazuhiko blinked. Wait, what? There was a tug on his wrist, and he finally remembered his sensei who was handcuffed to him and… "Shit! Sensei, did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly, checking for any signs of bruises. "I'm sorry I was so rough. I forgot. Oh shit, you're all red—" He stopped when a hand descended on his arm. He looked up and saw furious hazel eyes.

"Let me." With one quick move, Ryoma removed the handcuff from both their wrists.

Kazuhiko sighed. "Wow. Thanks, Ryoma-san. Are you all right…" he trailed off when he saw his teacher's wrist gripped firmly by the tennis pro. His eyes trailed upward and saw the pretty blush on her face. Kazuhiko felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Ryoma lifted the racket and pointed it at the gaping captain. "I challenge you to a tennis match for daring to touch my girlfriend and _trying_ to marry her." Their audience gasped.

Sakuno paled. "Ryoma-kun, it's not a big deal. He was just playing around and I'm sure he didn't mean any of it, right, Kazuhiko-kun?" She stared at him pointedly.

Kazuhiko nodded quickly. He knew when to back down in a fight. Especially one that he's surely going to lose.

Ryoma scowled. "Then I'm challenging him to a tennis match for daring to touch my girlfriend, trying to marry her, _and_ playing with her feelings."

Sakuno sighed exasperatedly.

Ryoma's smile was cold. "Your serve."'

Kazuhiko shut his eyes tightly and prayed everything would be over quickly. He had a feeling he was going to be thoroughly trounced.

He really should know better than to hit on his teacher.

&

"Oh, Kazuhiko-kun! I'm so sorry! I apologize for Ryoma-kun's behaviour. He was being such a jerk. Really," Sakuno said, glaring at her boyfriend. "And what was that move? It wasn't even an official game. You could have injured him, Ryoma-kun!"

Ryoma sighed and almost rolled his eyes. "Easy, Ryuzaki. He managed to dodge the ball, didn't he? And that was my latest technique. I really should bring you to some of my games," he muttered to himself.

Kazuhiko could only watch as the couple talked. One, his arm was hurting. He couldn't even imagine the force the pro put in every shot. And he wasn't even sweating. Two, he had a terrible feeling that the older man was still angry (and slightly disappointed), and he didn't want any unwanted attention drawn to his poor self.

"And why are you here anyway? Didn't you just have a game last week?"

Kazuhiko perked up. "Yeah! I watched that one— with Jack Spencer. Man, that was brilliant!"

Ryoma looked at him coolly. "Oh? I'm glad you enjoyed that."

"Ryoma-kun."

"Che."

At the sudden silence, Kazuhiko mustered enough courage to stand and bow in apology. "Sensei, I'm sorry for the trouble that I caused you. Rest assured that it won't happen again."

"It better not," Ryoma muttered. "Now that she's getting married."

Sakuno sighed and smiled slightly. "Yes, and I'm sure that was just a phase of…" she trailed off, her eyes widening as she looked at the tennis prince. "What?"

Ryoma blinked. "What? I just said—" He groaned as what he just said dawned on him. "So much for surprises." With a sigh, he bent down on one knee, facing Sakuno.

Kazuhiko smiled nervously. "Should I leave or something?" When nobody answered, he exited quickly.

"Ryoma-kun—"

"Look. Just, let me get this out." Ryoma took a deep breath. "Ryuzaki. I love you. And I loved you more when you let me go to America and pursue tennis. And you don't know how much I appreciate all this… waiting that you're doing. So— I can't believe all this sap I'm saying. Just." He smiled slightly and offered a ring. "Marry me?"

Sakuno was biting her lip to keep from crying. "Ryoma-kun, you idiot," she whispered. "Do you even need to ask?" With a sob, she threw herself into his arms and showered kisses all over his face. "I love you."

Ryoma pressed his lips to her temple. "I love you more."

**FIN**

&

Wow. I can't believe I finally finished something. This is unbelievable. Thanks to all my faithful readers and most especially to my reviewers. I know not many people were expecting an epilogue, but this just suddenly came to me, and I can't help it. I was thinking of putting it in **A Twist of Fate**, but I needed a better premise. Anyway, I LOVE YOU ALL GUYS! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

And no, I'm not retiring yet. Haha. I'll answer to some of the reviews when I can. I'm working on it. Thanks again. And read my other stories. Thank you!

This is unedited. So if there are any problems, feel free to inform me and I can edit. And I love Kazuhiko. Anybody can borrow him. Just ask. Peace. :D

_Queen Mist_


End file.
